Chapter 144 Forgotten
The next day, Jiang Huan was awakened by a noise.
She looked up and realized that she had fallen asleep by the bed without even realizing it.
Honestly, he promised to take care of the wounded, but he collapsed first.
After regaining her senses, she immediately looked at the couch.
Huo Lin was already awake, leaning against the soft pillows with his eyes lowered, as if he was thinking about something.
Jiang Huan was overjoyed and didn't notice Huo Lin's unusual behavior.
"You're awake! How are you feeling? Does your wound hurt? Are you thirsty? Should we call the imperial physician?"
As she asked, she subconsciously reached for Huo Lin's hand, wanting to feel his warmth and confirm his presence.
However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the back of Huo Lin's hand, Huo Lin's gaze suddenly turned towards her.
His gaze was dark and cold, like snow that never melts, scrutinizing Jiang Huan's face.
Jiang Huan's outstretched hand froze in mid-air.
The surrounding air was quiet, and Jiang Huan heard nothing at all.
A deathly silence fell; Huo Lin's inner voice vanished.
The door that was always open to her was now slammed shut.
A massive wave of panic engulfed Jiang Huan in an instant.
The surprise on her face vanished completely, leaving only paleness.
Is it amnesia, or something else?
But how could the toxins affect her "superpowers"?
Just as the atmosphere was tense, Wang Degui saw Huo Lin wake up and excitedly moved closer.
"Your Majesty, that's wonderful! You've finally woken up."
Wang Degui, equally oblivious to Huo Lin's unusual behavior, continued, "You slept soundly all night, which worried this old servant and Your Highness greatly. Your Highness stayed by your side all night, without leaving your side for even a moment."
Huo Lin's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Huan's face before finally settling on Wang Degui.
"Why is Consort Jiang in my bedchamber?"
Wang Degui's smile froze completely. He looked at Huo Lin in disbelief, then at Jiang Huan, whose face was growing paler.
"Your Majesty? You...you don't remember? This is Consort Zhuang, whom you personally bestowed the title upon."
Consort Zhuang?
Huo Lin repeated the title, his sharp eyes scrutinizing Jiang Huan as if seeing her face clearly for the first time.
"When did I ever grant such a title?" He then turned to Wang Degui, "And what happened to this wound? Was it an assassin?"
His aura suddenly turned icy, and the oppressive aura of an emperor instantly spread out.
Jiang Huan felt as if a huge rock was blocking her chest, making it hard to breathe.
She looked into Huo Lin's eyes, which were now icy cold, devoid of any of the former tenderness.
He really forgot...
"Your Majesty," Wang Degui said quickly, his face contorted with emotion, "Last night you and the Empress went out of the palace incognito. On your way back, you were attacked by assassins. You were wounded by a poisoned arrow while trying to save the Empress and fell into a coma."
Huo Lin remained expressionless, seemingly listening, yet also as if he were hearing a story that had nothing to do with him.
After Wang Degui finished speaking, he coldly asked, "Have the assassins been captured alive?"
"Last night was chaotic. Most of the assassins died on the spot. Only two seriously wounded were captured and have been taken to the prison for interrogation," Wang Degui replied hastily.
"Mm," Huo Lin responded.
Wang Degui was an old friend of his and the most loyal to him, so he would never lie to him.
only……
Huo Lin's gaze returned to Jiang Huan. "Are you Consort Zhuang?"
Consort Zhuang.
This address was like a cold needle, piercing Jiang Huan's heart unexpectedly. He would never have called her that before.
Overwhelmed by disappointment and grievance, Jiang Huan's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
She sniffed, suppressing a sob in her throat, and maintained basic composure.
"Your Majesty, I, Jiang Huan, pay my respects."
Huo Lin's gaze lingered on her slightly reddened eyes for a moment.
An emotion may flash through your mind, so fast that it's impossible to grasp.
He was momentarily lost in thought, but in an instant, Huo Lin regained his cold, imperial demeanor.
"I am grateful that Consort Zhuang kept watch all night. Now that I have woken up, Consort Zhuang should return to the palace to rest. There is no need for you to trouble yourself here."
The dismissal was so natural that Jiang Huan's heart sank.
She looked at Huo Lin's face, which was still handsome but filled with indifference, and felt completely unfamiliar with him.
She wanted to say something, but her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't utter a single word.
Finally, she lowered her eyes and responded softly.
"This concubine... takes her leave."
She turned to leave, but the overwhelming emotional shock, coupled with the exhaustion of not having slept all night, made her steps unsteady.
I tripped for some reason and lost my balance.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" Wang Degui exclaimed in alarm.
Just as Jiang Huan was about to fall, in a flash, an arm reached out from the couch, firmly wrapped around Jiang Huan's waist, and pulled her back.
The movement was incredibly fast, unlike someone who had just woken up from an injury.
Still shaken, Jiang Huan leaned against that familiar chest, feeling the strength from Huo Lin's arm through her clothes.
She looked up in surprise, only to meet Huo's face, which was inches away from hers.
Huo Lin frowned, his face still expressionless, as if his subconscious action just now was just an illusion.
"Be careful." He said coldly, and quickly released his grip.
Jiang Huan steadied herself, but her heart was pounding.
That hug just now, that familiar strength and scent, it was clearly him!
Her Huo Lin is still there, he just doesn't remember her for the time being.
This realization brought her some peace of mind, but more than that, it left her with a bitter taste.
She whispered, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Huo Lin didn't speak again, but simply closed his eyes again, looking as if he needed to rest and didn't want to talk much.
Jiang Huan gave him a deep look and then left the bedchamber.
In the afternoon, Jiang Huan was restless in Weiyang Palace.
After she left the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the morning, Wang Degui summoned the imperial physician.
Jiang Huan inquired and learned that the imperial physician said Huo Lin's pulse was stable and the remaining poison had been cleared, but he was vague about the amnesia, only saying that he needed time to recover.
These ambiguous words made Jiang Huan even more anxious.
No, she can't just wait like this.
She conquered Huo Lin back then, and she can do it now!
Perhaps, some familiar flavors might help Huo Lin recover his memories.
Jiang Huan immediately went to the small kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, and started cooking.
Half an hour later, all sorts of dishes were served and placed into food boxes.
Jiang Huan, carrying a food box, came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation once again.
Wang Degui stood guard at the palace gate. When he saw Jiang Huan, he looked troubled, but still whispered the message to her.
When Jiang Huan entered the inner hall, Huo Lin was reading a memorial in his hand.
"Your Majesty," Jiang Huan curtsied, trying to make her voice sound cheerful, "I prepared some food, thinking you might..."
She was interrupted before she could finish speaking.
Huo Lin's voice was flat and without any fluctuation, "Consort Zhuang is very kind, but the imperial physician instructed that my injuries have not yet healed and my diet should be light and moderate. These are not suitable for me to eat."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com